Gov't asks for all school land titles

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The education ministry has directed district leaders to submit detailed information about land belonging to all government schools.

By Taddeo Bwambale

The education ministry has directed district leaders to submit detailed information about land belonging to all government schools.

Patrick Muinda, the ministry’s acting permanent secretary, in a March 10 directive to district officials, said the exercise will pave way for the survey of the land.

“The permanent secretary, Ministry of Education and Sports wishes to inform chief administrative officers, district education officers and inspectors of schools that the ministry is collecting data for purposes of surveying and titling of land of all government schools and other public education institutions in all districts,” read Muinda’s statement.

Head teachers and principals of schools have been asked to compile and submit information to the education ministry.

According to the directive, the information should indicate the school name, location, existence of tittle, size and type of ownership (Mailo, Freehold, Public) and encumbrances, if any.

The documentation of school land comes at a time when many institutions have lost land in fraudulent dealings with private developers.

Serere County MP Steven Ochola yesterday said many schools in Serere district had lost land to encroachers.

“My district is handling so many cases of encroachment. Boundaries of many public schools and other institutions have been removed by communities,” he disclosed.

According to Ochola, certain residents of Alio sub-county chased away teachers and pupils of Anyalia Primary School, claiming the school was built on their ancestral land.

In neighbouring Soroti district where Ochola was LC5 chairperson, many schools are battling court cases over land being claimed by individuals.

Koboko LC5 chairperson Hassan Said Nginya said district authorities had already resolved to process land titles for all public schools to protect them from encroachment.

In Kampala, several city schools are at risk of losing land.

In 2011, part of Buganda Road Primary School playground was targeted by encroachers. Around the same period, Kitante Primary School in Kampala almost lost its playground to a private developer who sought to build a fertility clinic on the land.

The Nakasero Primary School playground was leased to a private developer. The matter is still under probe by the Inspector General of Government.